Playing the Pied Piper
We all know the fable of the Pied Piper, depending on what version you subscribe to either children or rats were lured away by the Pied Piper. Well stores are using the Pied Piper technique to lure you in.
* Courtesy of Fan Zone
Supermarkets are able to use music to speed up or slow down your shopping time depending on the store’s need. Supermarket’s will generally play faster music during peak hours, to encourage shoppers to shop faster and thus preventing excessive queuing- which leads to customer dissatisfaction. Outside of peak hour times, supermarkets will generally play slower music. Slower music relaxes the customer’s and encourages them to spend more time in the store. Supermarkets have a multitude of techniques designed to stimulate the senses and impulses of the shopper. Thus, the longer they are able to have a person shopping in their store, the greater the chance the supermarket has of maximising the sale.
If auditory stimulation works for supermarkets, surely this will work in other shopping situations?
Clothing stores also call people into their store like the Pied Piper. Shopping for clothing is generally an image conscious decision as the clothing one wears communicates the brand of the person. Clothing shops are able to appeal to certain images by the music they play but there is also a science behind it. Naturally, people will be more inclined to visit a store that seems relevant to them and music plays a large part in this. Stores can also use music to repel other demographics, e.g. if a store wants to present itself as young and hip, they can play dance music that will appeal to this demographic but will perhaps drive away other demographics from their store.
Music is used to alter the mood of the shopper. Dance music is used to speed up the blood pressure of the shopper and thus increase the adrenalin. The music is generally used by the target demographic on a night out or in a relaxing environment and thus can trigger positive memories for the shopper. The environment that the demographic listen to the music in, a night club for example, is a place associated with freedom and lowering inhibitions. Lowering inhibitions can help to decrease resistance to spending and price. Shopping in these situations can be about lifestyle and thus more clothing may be purchased or clothing that is not necessarily required as the shopper is able to justify the purchase in their mind- enabling the clothing store is able to maximize the sale.
The brand that certain music projects is also a powerful attraction for people that fall outside the immediate target market. Music will attract persons that want to be part of a demographic but aren’t, for example an older demographic. An older customer may wish to appear more youthful and thus the music transports them back to memories of their younger years and alert them to the store that understands the youthful fashion. Thus music is able to extend the lifecycle of the clothing range and broaden the target demographic.
Next time you go shopping, keep one ear out for the Pied Piper but also the other ear closed!
Good luck
